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Mika Iha! for Essential Beauties
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Date Posted: 15:11:44 02/14/05 Mon
Miss Tourism World contestants tour Harare
ABOUT 30 Miss Tourism World contestants yesterday had a walk-about of greater Harare bringing business in the capital almost to halt.
Scores of people could be seen mingling with the bevy of beauties as they were shown some parts of the city of Harare while others peeped through their offices to catch a good glimpse of the models.
A brief parade was mounted at the scenic Africa Unity Square at the corner of Sam Nujoma Avenue and Jason Moyo Avenue where the models soaked themselves in the cool ambience of the summer breeze.
Later, the models strutted up and down the Africa Unity Square where various photographers from both foreign and local media jostled for photo and video shoots.
The video shoots would be used in a documentary on tourism that will to be released after the grand finale slated for February 26 at the Elephant Hills Hotel in Victoria Falls.
This is the second time Zimbabwe has hosted a pageant of international magnitude with the first one being the Miss Malaika 2002, a pageant that also showcased Zimbabwe as a safe tourist destination.
The Miss Tourism World, which is aimed at promoting tourism, is also expected to further showcase as a peaceful and safe destination for tourists.
A boom in business is also expected during and after the pageant. Meanwhile, the number of contestants taking part in the coveted tourism pageant has risen from 100 to 101 after the Zambian Lonah Shawa, Model of the World Africa, joined in late yesterday. Lonah is representing the resort town of Livingstone. Her late entry, according to Mr John Singh, the president of Miss Tourism World organisation, came after the Zambian had indicated that she would represent and market the prestigious town of Livingstone.
"We could not deny her entry because the essence of the pageant is to promote the beauty of nature.
"It is meant to promote tourism and Zambia wants to promote her resort town just like other countries that have two or more representatives for different resort centres in their countries," Singh, who hailed Zimbabwe as a peaceful country, said.
"Zimbabwe is not what certain sections of the media say. It is a peaceful country," added Mr Singh.
According to him, the international community was eagerly waiting to see whether the event would succeed. "Many detractors were surprised when they saw that the event was becoming a reality and they started believing that it would succeed after our arrival in Harare.
"The involvement of these hundred countries helps Zimbabwes tourism sector since governments and commercial sectors are working together," he said, adding that Zimbabwe should set a new trend for Africa in promoting tourism.
In a related development, the organiser of Miss Tourism Botswana, Ms Millicent Shunda said the situation in the country was not what had been written about in various sections of the media.
"Zimbabwe is a very peaceful and beautiful country and one has to visit the country if one is to have a clear picture of the country," the widely travelled Shunda said.
About 70 of the 101 contestants have already left Harare for Victoria Falls, and the remaining models who yesterday toured the greater Harare would leave Harare today to join the others in Victoria Falls.
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FEB 13 : MISS TOURISM WORLD CONTESTANTS TOUR HARARE